The aim of this guide is to help commercial fishers, scientific observers and recreational fishermen to identify the most common cephalopods (cuttlefish, squid and octopus) caught in Australian fisheries. Logbooks kept by commercial and recreational fishers provide essential information for fisheries research and management; however, for the records to be useful the catch must be correctly identified, especially in any developing fishery.

Cephalopods, particularly squid, occur in commercial quantities throughout the Australian Fishing Zone but remain largely under utilized. Squid are highly productive species, and generally live for less than a year. They are caught throughout the year, usually with high catches in spring and summer. High catch rates have been recorded in targeted cephalopod trawl fisheries off northern Australia.

Many of the species treated here have not been described and illustrated in the literature, and until now there has been no shipboard guide to the local Australian cephalopods of commercial importance. However, some of the species are included in other publications, some of which are in the bibliography.

As Australia's cephalopod fisheries develop to the stage where management plans are required, the composition, size and sustainable harvest levels of the stocks must be assessed. Commonwealth-managed fisheries are evaluated on the basis of this information. At present, recorded landings represent only a fraction of the cephalopod catch, as cephalopods taken as bycatch are often discarded at sea or used as bait in other fisheries.

Squid are an increasing component in the reported byproduct of commercial prawn and finfish trawlers in northern Australian shelf waters and interest has been shown by Queensland and Northern Territory fishers in developing target fisheries for squid using jigs. In general, squid caught on jigs or in lift or other surround nets are of higher quality, larger size and, on overseas markets, fetch a much higher price than squid caught by trawling.

In support of developing squid jig fisheries and to provide management advice, this project aimed to consolidate and enhance our knowledge of their fisheries biology and suitable fishing methods for inshore squid in northern Australian waters.

Keywords: inshore squid, developmental fisheries, jigging, tropical Australia, Loliginidae, Photololigo, Sepioteuthis

The aim of this guide is to help commercial fishers, scientific observers and recreational fishermen to identify the most common cephalopods (cuttlefish, squid and octopus) caught in Australian fisheries. Logbooks kept by commercial and recreational fishers provide essential information for fisheries research and management; however, for the records to be useful the catch must be correctly identified, especially in any developing fishery.

Cephalopods, particularly squid, occur in commercial quantities throughout the Australian Fishing Zone but remain largely under utilized. Squid are highly productive species, and generally live for less than a year. They are caught throughout the year, usually with high catches in spring and summer. High catch rates have been recorded in targeted cephalopod trawl fisheries off northern Australia.

Many of the species treated here have not been described and illustrated in the literature, and until now there has been no shipboard guide to the local Australian cephalopods of commercial importance. However, some of the species are included in other publications, some of which are in the bibliography.

As Australia's cephalopod fisheries develop to the stage where management plans are required, the composition, size and sustainable harvest levels of the stocks must be assessed. Commonwealth-managed fisheries are evaluated on the basis of this information. At present, recorded landings represent only a fraction of the cephalopod catch, as cephalopods taken as bycatch are often discarded at sea or used as bait in other fisheries.

Squid are an increasing component in the reported byproduct of commercial prawn and finfish trawlers in northern Australian shelf waters and interest has been shown by Queensland and Northern Territory fishers in developing target fisheries for squid using jigs. In general, squid caught on jigs or in lift or other surround nets are of higher quality, larger size and, on overseas markets, fetch a much higher price than squid caught by trawling.

In support of developing squid jig fisheries and to provide management advice, this project aimed to consolidate and enhance our knowledge of their fisheries biology and suitable fishing methods for inshore squid in northern Australian waters.

Keywords: inshore squid, developmental fisheries, jigging, tropical Australia, Loliginidae, Photololigo, Sepioteuthis

The aim of this guide is to help commercial fishers, scientific observers and recreational fishermen to identify the most common cephalopods (cuttlefish, squid and octopus) caught in Australian fisheries. Logbooks kept by commercial and recreational fishers provide essential information for fisheries research and management; however, for the records to be useful the catch must be correctly identified, especially in any developing fishery.

Cephalopods, particularly squid, occur in commercial quantities throughout the Australian Fishing Zone but remain largely under utilized. Squid are highly productive species, and generally live for less than a year. They are caught throughout the year, usually with high catches in spring and summer. High catch rates have been recorded in targeted cephalopod trawl fisheries off northern Australia.

Many of the species treated here have not been described and illustrated in the literature, and until now there has been no shipboard guide to the local Australian cephalopods of commercial importance. However, some of the species are included in other publications, some of which are in the bibliography.

As Australia's cephalopod fisheries develop to the stage where management plans are required, the composition, size and sustainable harvest levels of the stocks must be assessed. Commonwealth-managed fisheries are evaluated on the basis of this information. At present, recorded landings represent only a fraction of the cephalopod catch, as cephalopods taken as bycatch are often discarded at sea or used as bait in other fisheries.

Squid are an increasing component in the reported byproduct of commercial prawn and finfish trawlers in northern Australian shelf waters and interest has been shown by Queensland and Northern Territory fishers in developing target fisheries for squid using jigs. In general, squid caught on jigs or in lift or other surround nets are of higher quality, larger size and, on overseas markets, fetch a much higher price than squid caught by trawling.

In support of developing squid jig fisheries and to provide management advice, this project aimed to consolidate and enhance our knowledge of their fisheries biology and suitable fishing methods for inshore squid in northern Australian waters.

Keywords: inshore squid, developmental fisheries, jigging, tropical Australia, Loliginidae, Photololigo, Sepioteuthis

The aim of this guide is to help commercial fishers, scientific observers and recreational fishermen to identify the most common cephalopods (cuttlefish, squid and octopus) caught in Australian fisheries. Logbooks kept by commercial and recreational fishers provide essential information for fisheries research and management; however, for the records to be useful the catch must be correctly identified, especially in any developing fishery.

Cephalopods, particularly squid, occur in commercial quantities throughout the Australian Fishing Zone but remain largely under utilized. Squid are highly productive species, and generally live for less than a year. They are caught throughout the year, usually with high catches in spring and summer. High catch rates have been recorded in targeted cephalopod trawl fisheries off northern Australia.

Many of the species treated here have not been described and illustrated in the literature, and until now there has been no shipboard guide to the local Australian cephalopods of commercial importance. However, some of the species are included in other publications, some of which are in the bibliography.

As Australia's cephalopod fisheries develop to the stage where management plans are required, the composition, size and sustainable harvest levels of the stocks must be assessed. Commonwealth-managed fisheries are evaluated on the basis of this information. At present, recorded landings represent only a fraction of the cephalopod catch, as cephalopods taken as bycatch are often discarded at sea or used as bait in other fisheries.

Squid are an increasing component in the reported byproduct of commercial prawn and finfish trawlers in northern Australian shelf waters and interest has been shown by Queensland and Northern Territory fishers in developing target fisheries for squid using jigs. In general, squid caught on jigs or in lift or other surround nets are of higher quality, larger size and, on overseas markets, fetch a much higher price than squid caught by trawling.

In support of developing squid jig fisheries and to provide management advice, this project aimed to consolidate and enhance our knowledge of their fisheries biology and suitable fishing methods for inshore squid in northern Australian waters.

Keywords: inshore squid, developmental fisheries, jigging, tropical Australia, Loliginidae, Photololigo, Sepioteuthis

The aim of this guide is to help commercial fishers, scientific observers and recreational fishermen to identify the most common cephalopods (cuttlefish, squid and octopus) caught in Australian fisheries. Logbooks kept by commercial and recreational fishers provide essential information for fisheries research and management; however, for the records to be useful the catch must be correctly identified, especially in any developing fishery.

Cephalopods, particularly squid, occur in commercial quantities throughout the Australian Fishing Zone but remain largely under utilized. Squid are highly productive species, and generally live for less than a year. They are caught throughout the year, usually with high catches in spring and summer. High catch rates have been recorded in targeted cephalopod trawl fisheries off northern Australia.

Many of the species treated here have not been described and illustrated in the literature, and until now there has been no shipboard guide to the local Australian cephalopods of commercial importance. However, some of the species are included in other publications, some of which are in the bibliography.

As Australia's cephalopod fisheries develop to the stage where management plans are required, the composition, size and sustainable harvest levels of the stocks must be assessed. Commonwealth-managed fisheries are evaluated on the basis of this information. At present, recorded landings represent only a fraction of the cephalopod catch, as cephalopods taken as bycatch are often discarded at sea or used as bait in other fisheries.

This project investigated the efficiency of using different pot designs to increase the profitability of the Western Rocklobster fishery. The motivation for this study was a more efficient pot would reduce the number of pot hauls, and that this in turn would increase profitability of the fishery by reducing the amount of bait used, the amount of time at sea, fuel usage and overall wear and tear on equipment.

During the course of this project, three different pot designs were trialed against the standard batten pot design. Trials of the new pot designs were undertaken in more than one management zone and for one (and more than one) day soaking times. In nearly all instances, standard batten pots proved to be more successful in catching lobsters than the two of the trialed pot designs. However, the third design, a side entrance batten pot with a broad base, hereafter termed the 'broad based pot', proved to be more effective than standard pots under particular conditions. In trials conducted during the reds part of the 2008/09 season, catches of legal sized lobsters made by broad based pots were not significantly different to those made by standard pots for one day and greater than one day soaking times. However, the broad based pots tended to catch fewer undersized lobsters. Trials of the broad based pots during the early part of the 2009/10 whites season showed that while they were not significantly different in terms of their ability over standard pots to catch legal sized lobsters on one day soaking periods, they were superior to the standard pot on two day soaks. The broad based pot design also caught significantly fewer under sized lobsters over two day soaking periods.

These results suggest that the use of broad based pots during the whites fishing season combined with longer pot soaking times would be expected to lead to multi-million dollar cost savings through reduced pot lifts. Furthermore, there would be a substantial reduction in the handling of hundreds of thousands of sub-legal discarded lobsters which could be expected to have beneficial flow-on effects in terms of future catch.

This project investigated the efficiency of using different pot designs to increase the profitability of the Western Rocklobster fishery. The motivation for this study was a more efficient pot would reduce the number of pot hauls, and that this in turn would increase profitability of the fishery by reducing the amount of bait used, the amount of time at sea, fuel usage and overall wear and tear on equipment.

During the course of this project, three different pot designs were trialed against the standard batten pot design. Trials of the new pot designs were undertaken in more than one management zone and for one (and more than one) day soaking times. In nearly all instances, standard batten pots proved to be more successful in catching lobsters than the two of the trialed pot designs. However, the third design, a side entrance batten pot with a broad base, hereafter termed the 'broad based pot', proved to be more effective than standard pots under particular conditions. In trials conducted during the reds part of the 2008/09 season, catches of legal sized lobsters made by broad based pots were not significantly different to those made by standard pots for one day and greater than one day soaking times. However, the broad based pots tended to catch fewer undersized lobsters. Trials of the broad based pots during the early part of the 2009/10 whites season showed that while they were not significantly different in terms of their ability over standard pots to catch legal sized lobsters on one day soaking periods, they were superior to the standard pot on two day soaks. The broad based pot design also caught significantly fewer under sized lobsters over two day soaking periods.

These results suggest that the use of broad based pots during the whites fishing season combined with longer pot soaking times would be expected to lead to multi-million dollar cost savings through reduced pot lifts. Furthermore, there would be a substantial reduction in the handling of hundreds of thousands of sub-legal discarded lobsters which could be expected to have beneficial flow-on effects in terms of future catch.

This project investigated the efficiency of using different pot designs to increase the profitability of the Western Rocklobster fishery. The motivation for this study was a more efficient pot would reduce the number of pot hauls, and that this in turn would increase profitability of the fishery by reducing the amount of bait used, the amount of time at sea, fuel usage and overall wear and tear on equipment.

During the course of this project, three different pot designs were trialed against the standard batten pot design. Trials of the new pot designs were undertaken in more than one management zone and for one (and more than one) day soaking times. In nearly all instances, standard batten pots proved to be more successful in catching lobsters than the two of the trialed pot designs. However, the third design, a side entrance batten pot with a broad base, hereafter termed the 'broad based pot', proved to be more effective than standard pots under particular conditions. In trials conducted during the reds part of the 2008/09 season, catches of legal sized lobsters made by broad based pots were not significantly different to those made by standard pots for one day and greater than one day soaking times. However, the broad based pots tended to catch fewer undersized lobsters. Trials of the broad based pots during the early part of the 2009/10 whites season showed that while they were not significantly different in terms of their ability over standard pots to catch legal sized lobsters on one day soaking periods, they were superior to the standard pot on two day soaks. The broad based pot design also caught significantly fewer under sized lobsters over two day soaking periods.

These results suggest that the use of broad based pots during the whites fishing season combined with longer pot soaking times would be expected to lead to multi-million dollar cost savings through reduced pot lifts. Furthermore, there would be a substantial reduction in the handling of hundreds of thousands of sub-legal discarded lobsters which could be expected to have beneficial flow-on effects in terms of future catch.

This project investigated the efficiency of using different pot designs to increase the profitability of the Western Rocklobster fishery. The motivation for this study was a more efficient pot would reduce the number of pot hauls, and that this in turn would increase profitability of the fishery by reducing the amount of bait used, the amount of time at sea, fuel usage and overall wear and tear on equipment.

During the course of this project, three different pot designs were trialed against the standard batten pot design. Trials of the new pot designs were undertaken in more than one management zone and for one (and more than one) day soaking times. In nearly all instances, standard batten pots proved to be more successful in catching lobsters than the two of the trialed pot designs. However, the third design, a side entrance batten pot with a broad base, hereafter termed the 'broad based pot', proved to be more effective than standard pots under particular conditions. In trials conducted during the reds part of the 2008/09 season, catches of legal sized lobsters made by broad based pots were not significantly different to those made by standard pots for one day and greater than one day soaking times. However, the broad based pots tended to catch fewer undersized lobsters. Trials of the broad based pots during the early part of the 2009/10 whites season showed that while they were not significantly different in terms of their ability over standard pots to catch legal sized lobsters on one day soaking periods, they were superior to the standard pot on two day soaks. The broad based pot design also caught significantly fewer under sized lobsters over two day soaking periods.

These results suggest that the use of broad based pots during the whites fishing season combined with longer pot soaking times would be expected to lead to multi-million dollar cost savings through reduced pot lifts. Furthermore, there would be a substantial reduction in the handling of hundreds of thousands of sub-legal discarded lobsters which could be expected to have beneficial flow-on effects in terms of future catch.